Progressive renal fibrosis leading to decline in renal function remains the predominant cause of renal allograft loss. Current methodologies based on clinical and pathological parameters fail to identify grafts at risk for loss prior to the development of irreversible injury. Such tests usually require obtaining a biopsy specimen from the patient. Often by the time rejection is recognized it is too late to do anything. An increase in serum creatinine or an increase of protein in the urine may be warnings of rejection but are not entirely predictive. Furthermore, the collection and assaying of patient biopsy samples is time-consuming and expensive.
Thus, there remains a need for improved diagnostic methods for predicting a renal allograft recipient's risk for developing fibrosis of the allograft and allograft loss.